CROTALARIA BURKEANA. 27 1 



Lot ononis, especially in the section Oxydium approach Crotalaria 

 iin the form of the corolla, but differ by their umbellate inflorescence 

 and unswollen pod. In other Lotononides, when the pod is more 

 .turgid, the carina is not sharp. 



'i\\'enty-four species of Crotalaria are described in the Flora 

 Capensis (1862), of which seven occur in the Transvaal. Four 

 not described in the Flora Capensis species are found in the 

 Transvaal, of which two belong to the Tropical African flora. 



Description of C. burkcaua. — This species belongs to the 

 .Section Racemosae, having leaves digitately 3 to 5-foliolate, and 

 racemes mostly terminal and densely or laxly many-flowered. It 

 differs from other species of this Section by the small, subulate 

 stipules ; narrow lanceolate, acute leaflets ; long calyx-lobes ; and 

 ■ densely hispid branches and petioles; variety sparsipila is, how- 

 ever, much less hairy. 



C. Burkeana Benth. — Herbaceous or suffrutlcose, erect ; 

 branches, petioles and racemes denseh' hispid, with long, 

 spreading, rusty hairs; stipules linear-subulate; leaflets 3 — 5, 

 linear-lanceolate, acute, glabrous above, pilose beneath ; racemes 

 terminal, lax, several-flowered ; bracteoles lanceolate ; calyx deeply 

 •cut, its segments lanceolate, nearly as long as the corolla; legume 

 sub-sessile, oblong, very hairy. 



van j(3. sparsipila Harv. — Much less hairy, with larger 

 ■petioles, leaflets and racemes. 



A perennial, herbaceous plant, one to two feet high, woody at 

 base, with many herbaceous, slightly branched stems, frcel}^ 

 covered with stiff, harsh, rusty brown hairs. Pubescence copious. 

 Petioles i — ij inches long, leaflets as long, often 5 together, i 

 to 2 lines wide, acute at each end. Racemes pedunculate, ter- 

 minal, 10 — 15 — flowered. Flowers pea-shaped, yellowish with 

 purplish brown veining, about f inch long. Legumes li inches 

 long. var. fl is a more luxuriant and less hairy form, and pro- 

 bably grew in richer, alluvial soil. 



Type locality. — The type locality for Crotalaria burkeana, is 

 the Magaliesberg, at the Aapies River, doubtless on the north 

 side of the Wonderboompoort, where it was collected by Burke 

 and Zeyher about 1832. The type of variety sparsipila was col- 

 lected in Zululand, by Miss Owen. 



Distribution. — In the Transvaal Crotalaria burkeana is most 

 abundant in the south-western region, including the districts of 

 Bloemhof, Wolmaransstad, Western Potchefstroom. Marico and 

 Rustenburg. It has also been collected in the Pretoria, Zoutpans^ 

 berg and Barberton districts, and may be expected in the Lich- 

 tenburg, Waterberg, Middelburg and Lydenburg districts. 



In the Orange Free State it occurs in the Boshof, Hoopstad, 

 Kroonstad, Heilbron and Winburg districts. 



In the Cape Province it occurs in Griqualand West, in the 

 districts of Barkly West and Herbert. 



In Natal it is recorded for Durban County, and there is a 

 -solitary record from Zululand. 



Localities. — The following localities are recorded, and mostlv 

 rrepresented by specimens in the various herbaria. I am indebted 



